PIA Press Release2008/02/12

Army 1-ID conducts briefing on counter-insurgency

Pagadian City (12 February) -- The 1st Infantry "TABAK" Division, Philippine Army through LTC George Avila, Major Benedicto Manquiquis and Capt. Arnold Gasalatan conducted a media briefing on the Counter-Insurgency Program of the government which was held on Saturday, February 9 at the PIA Regional Office here.

Twenty media practitioners attended the forum focused on the topic "The Continuing Deception of the CPP-NPA-NDF" and the strategies they employ, including their claims of a better life with the ideology of communism.

It was a very interesting topic and the group had a very lengthy but fruitful discussion on several issues.

Avila called on the media to be vigilant and not to allow themselves to be exploited by these people, as they have infiltrated all sectors of society.

The Communist Party of the Philippines- New People's Army - National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) are deemed experts in the art of deception, deceiving our brothers in the countryside and using issues/problems like socio-economic condition, poverty, injustice, unemployment, lack of education and similar issues so that people would vent their ire on the government.

It must be said, that no one from a democratic country ever sought refuge in a communist country. People from communist countries escape from the clutches of communism, whatever the cost may be.

Major Manquiquis, one of the lecturers mentioned that in Palawan, there is a place called Vietnam Village where natives from North Vietnam endured the hardships of traveling the rough seas and risked their lives to find refuge in our country. Why then should we bargain democracy with communism?

The New People's Army continues to entice people to join their movement but sad to say that as one mediaman commented, "hindi na kumikita ang gimik nila". People in the countryside have opened their eyes to what the government is doing for them.

Some of their claims :

they claim to be pro-poor; when in reality they do not want progress in the country so that people will remain ignorant and easy to control.

They are pro-workers but, thousands have lost their jobs through strikes as they have infiltrated the labor sector. It is their purpose to bring businesses down, which would result to unemployment and put the blame on our government.

Portray the military as abusers of human rights, not counting the NPA's massacre, using landmines killing innocent civilians and using children in war, training them early in life.

They are not using children in their fight but the military is in possession of documents that children are brainwashed at a very early age to fight against this government which, they claim is not doing anything to improve their plight.

They protect innocent civilians but the truth is they use human shields to escape from military pursuit.

As one mediaman commented: If they are selling a product, it would not sell because many have opened their eyes to the reality of their evil schemes. "Di na kumikita ang gimik nila," he quoted.

The military's dream is to have "a developed society where there is peace" because there can never be sustainable development without peace.

In closing, LTC Avila urged media practitioners to maintain an open line of communication with the military and to expose irregularities and abuses, maximizing their tools of the trade for a fair, honest and balanced reporting. (PIA-Pagadian) [top]